Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-05

P'N"Ii"r predicament
a light" l cried. "Quick
quick She hurried away aud pres
emily returned with lamp.
MISS Rooster showed no weakness al
the sight of her mother lying on th,
moor in a pool of blood, but said
quietly; "Help me to carry her up
stairs"
We did so, and I soon afforded Mrs
kossiter relief. The fall had inflicted
nasty wound upon her head. hui
there was no immediate danger.
ne affair was so peculiar that / nm
airals l did not give my whole attcn.
non to the patient. The patient
Where was the patient [ had been sum.
moncd in such urgent haste to see
Was 1t this dark-locking woman who
had behaved so strangely and who was
now lying unconscious on the bed +? II
SO she must have recovered from her
swoon after her daughters departure,
heard the tapping on the door, and
huInedly opened it, mistakiug me for
somebody else. But for whom had |
been mistaken? Whom could she have
expected at such an hour of the night ?
And who was the Emil she had re-
ceiyed with such strong expressions OF
endearmont?
No solution of The enigma presented
itself, md at length / turned to leave,
promising that / would call again the
following day. Miss Rossiter followed
me down stairs, and, motioning me into
the little front room, said:
Tel me quickly how it all hap
/ pcned. | left mamma lying on the
sofa. You must have found her so.
How did She get into the passage
And the-blood Oh, tell me how it
happened :"
! Hooked curiously at this young girl,
standing so erect with flushed face, and
demanding in such an imperative man
ncr an answer TO her question. Would
il lie altogether wise 20 tell the whole
story? No ! Doctors are SO often taken
Lehind the scenes Of the various dramas
played in family life that they are
obliged TO act with great circumspec-
ton. 50 | answered -" Your mother
evidently recovered from the fit after
/ your departure, and hearing me trying
Intellectually to turn the key in the lock
| came forward and opened the door her
| SIT. The shock of seeing a stranger
! poOab'y caused return of the tit, re-
sulting IN the fall" This answer struck
ne Is bong rather lame; but although
/ ! lad not told the eXart truth ! thought
/ at unGCr the circumstances that
/ sligi : evasion was pardonabIe.
Mrs HosSiter looked at me with her
/ brown eyes wide open, as if she would
read the very WORKINGS OF my mind !;
yet with a certain reproach in them.
ihon She said very quietly:
"Ihat IS untrue"
I Answered: Not untrue but |
lave not told you ali. / did not wish
to give Won unnecessary pain.
"a would sooncrhear the exact truth
and hear the pain" she replied calmly
crouch, though | could see by the
! twtclng Of hcrnouth and the hurried
tchng of hcr breath that size was
prepared to hear something that might
/ causa her acute distress.
told h,r the whole story without
reservation She listened crctully,
lid when had finished said
Thank Won, that sounds like the
Truth. Now promise that you VIII
never mention to anybody what you
/ have seen aud heard in this house to-
night
Ilmhcr resented this demand, but
there was something about the person
atty Of this cirl which broOkej no re-
.usll, 50 / promised. She called me
brck when / Ind gone half way down
the Path and said in softer voice ::
Forgive me il / have offended YOU.
1ut I'm SO tirod-and-I hardly know
low 70 act. Goodnight"
As walked down the garden | be-
came conscious Of a most peculiar feel
.ug OF depression. Bracing myself up
partially shook il of, but as | turned
.nto tue road 1 actually fancied that
somebody's hot breath passed over my
cheek. The sensation was so real that
paused and lookcdarouud. OF course
detected nothing, but it seemed TO me
bat man might easily conceal him-
self behind the thick foliage. After
another TASTY glance | set my face
Homoward and walked rapidly down
,ncIoad,
Three or four routes would take me
lone Falf in may1ao 1 chose the
enc which would necessitate my walk
,lg along IL narrow footpatn about a
Quarter OF q mile IN length, with high
Iaihncs on either side. 1t was rather
. GC,ulatc SPOT. and after daik nervous
,.op,c preferred the longer bat more
.uhli, road. As | FASTENED along |
n,cauc conscious that somebody was
Walking iu the same direction "a my
slf. but about hundrcd yards behind.
rglosscj in my own thoughts | did
s.t pay much attention to the cjrcum-
.m.cc; hat presently the measured
lamp Of the persons steps annoyed
.nc and 1 quicEcne3 my pace.
TO NY surprise the steps behind also
,u;ckcned TO the same extent | broke
ITO Il run they did likewise. Sud
ionly ! stopped the steps also ceased.
/ recommenceI walking; they dill
lie same. but at a slightly quickerrat5.
lie person. whoever it might be, was
/ eyid,utly following mc, aud | deter
mined to lumor hin. The prospect OF
real Ganecr Gained NY nerves |
.ra,p,d NY stick tighter ana 50 calcu-
a't0 ny rate c.! progression tAat he
~ou.d oycr.akc me in the next ten
.arls. Nearer and nearer he came, till
could distinguish his heavy breathing !;
Jltn. when lie was within two feet, i
turned round and confronted him.
wcntyycas have not dimmedthcme:G-
~ Of that moment. Nothing bat the
rpve eau Danish the vivid recollection
rom NV mind He-for it was a
eazcd at me for several seconds
with scrutiny whose intensity might
lave photographed the lineaments o.
Nv features on his mind forever; then,
Nth leap and bound-I repeat,
With leap and a bOund-he disap-
cared in the darkness. For several
.oconds | remained rooted to the spot.
) sudden giddiness seized me, aud |
lung 10 the ratings for support.
hen. with IN effort, continued my
Quincy, and at length, sick and faint,
arrived at my own house.
That night, although | wooed her
iliecntly, sleep would not bring relief
o nv tired brain. That mans face
Jared at me i'll thousand hideous con
toItions. Suddenly light flashed